Fake news

The top story on the Independent's website right now is a classic example of "fake news": Gay marriage: public say Church is wrong

The point of fake news is for campaigners masquerading as journalists to forward their campaigns.

Consider this alternative head-line: "Public is wrong, says church". That would be a bad of a "man bits dog" head-line, wouldn't it? A story not worth reading. But, of course, the two are entirely equivalent.

The Independent doesn't believe that the public is automatically right, of course; because it didn't bother writing "public say Stonewall is wrong" head-lines a few years ago, using such stories to try to ratchet up the pressure against the gay super-rights lobby. The Independent only selectively reports on who's not in the majority, when it suits their own preferences. That's why I call it "fake news". All newspapers do it; but do you spot when they're doing it to you?